Grover IV
Grover IV was the fourth Kaiser of the Griffonian Empire, serving from 914 to 970, in which he died of a stroke linked with his chronic obesity. His 56-year reign was known for unprecedented peace in foreign politics, the industrialization of the Griffonian Empire into a modern state on par with the Diarchy of Equestria, and a series of popular reforms that benefited the Griffonian People. His obesity left him the subject of many popular gaffes at the time, and is strongly believed by historians to be the cause of his stroke and subsequent death. His fondness for chocolate is represented by the numerous chocolate shops that can be found all across Griffenheim, although many of these were destroyed during the Griffonian Revolution. Reign Grover IV's reign encompassed large periods of modernization, industrialization, and reform of the apparatus of the Imperial system. He continued his father's work on centralizing and unifying the Empire, and during the Empire's industrialization period, began welfare reforms to ensure the basic workplace requirements guaranteed in places like Equestria and Skyfall. During the later parts of his reign, the Kingdom of Wingbardy and the Skyfall Trade Federation formally became the first fully industrialized nations on the Griffonian continent (although at this point they were vassals of the Empire), much to the dismay of Grover IV's new empire, which had begun staggering industrialization campaigns only to still have development halted in the South and far North, especially in the rough forests of the Scheibwald. Personality Grover IV was known to be both rude and crude, with no regard for courtly mannerisms and intrigue. This, along with his chronic obesity, led to him being detested by the nobility. It was said that he left each feast with a new enemy, for he absolutely abhorred the very concept of lying to others, and could not, even with his best efforts, learn the ways of the scheming nobility of the Empire. Ironically, despite not being a people person, he was most beloved by the people for his beneficial reforms. Legacy Historians are deeply divided on their views about Grover IV, the fourth Emperor of all Griffons. His supporters believe his reign to be a continuation of the peace and prosperity of Grover III's, with the Empire largely staying out of foreign conflicts and participating in industrial and social reforms. He was an extremely competent administrator who expanded the centralization and modernization policies of his predecessor. He was adored by the commoners for his expansive reforms of the Imperial economic system, and was believed to have halted major Republican revolution efforts until, his supporters say, the corrupt administration of Grover V reverted his reforms. His critics view him as the Emperor that destroyed the Empire and begun its downward spiral into decay and revolution. He was socially inept and utterly uncharismatic, and the nobles despised him for his pro-commoner and anti-nobility reforms. He was a glutton and famously loved chocolate, and historians generally agree that this is what led to his stroke and death in 970 ALB. He was known to be brutally honest, so much so that he had almost no allies among the nobility. Archon Erion XXII stated on his "Treatise on Reform and Socialism" that “paved the way for radicalism later down the line". Supporters of this idea attest that Grover's concessions only led to the establishment of radical Republican ideals to further those goals. However history may speak of Grover IV, all agree that his death and subsequent regency rule was one of the acts that truly shattered the Empire.